Nasarawa State Government Urged to Clarify Requirements for Establishing Chiefdom

The Nasarawa State government has been called to make public the legal requirements for the creation of a Tiv chiefdom in Imoon, Obi Local Government Area.

This request was contained in a release dated 14 October 2026, by a public analyst, King Iorshe, who in the release examined the arguments presented by the Alago Ikweyi Gbayi Development Union (AIGDU), against the proposal for a Tiv chieftaincy institution at Imoon based on its claim to historical occupation and Imoon’s administrative status.

He argued that competing historical claims must be assessed alongside applicable laws, official gazettes, territorial boundaries and other instruments establishing traditional institutions.

The release, in addition, urged the government to examine the relevant legal provisions, consult affected communities and publish an evidence-based decision on the proposal.

In his view, neither the duration of a community’s occupation nor the description of another group as settlers should, on its own, determine eligibility for chiefdom status.

The analysis further referenced the Nasarawa State committee inaugurated in 2022 to review applications for additional districts and villages and investigate chieftaincy and territorial disputes.

Iorshe stressed that the central issue is whether the proposed chiefdom meets the applicable legal requirements and whether the historical and administrative claims are supported by verifiable evidence.